March 28, 2024
SCHOOLBOY BASKETBALL

Tigers’ success on both ends ousts Knights

DEXTER – The Narraguagus Knights didn’t play one of their best games of the season Wednesday night.

That’s mainly because the Dexter Tigers did, combining offensive patience with defensive tenacity to earn a 59-38 victory in their Eastern C boys basketball preliminary-round game at Guiski Gymnasium.

The win sends the seventh-seeded Tigers (12-7) to a quarterfinal against No. 2 Houlton on Tuesday at the Bangor Auditorium. Eleventh-needed Narraguagus of Harrington finished 11-8.

Dexter’s man-to-man defense limited the Knights to 35 percent shooting, including 1 of 13 from 3-point land. In addition, the Tigers forged a 34-25 rebounding advantage.

“For us it comes down to defense and rebounding,” said Dexter coach Peter Murray, “and we did both of those well tonight.”

Dexter’s offensive success was reflected in the Tigers’ 16 assists on 23 field goals – a sign of an attack patient enough to make the extra pass to secure a better shot.

Junior forward Chris Rabideau was the chief beneficiary, making 8 of 9 shots en route to a game-high 18 points.

“Tonight our main game plan was to pound it inside,” said Rabideau, who also grabbed eight rebounds.

Guard Mike Martin added 12 points and a solid floor game for Dexter, while Brett Towle had 11 points and six rebounds and Eric Day scored 10 points and led a defensive effort that held Narraguagus standout Jamie Bailey to eight points, none in the first half.

Matt Murray contributed team-high totals of nine rebounds and seven assists.

“Last year we peaked at the right time,” said Rabideau of a 2002-03 campaign in which Dexter reached the Eastern C final. “It looks like this season we’re doing the exact same thing.”

Senior forward Jason Strout struggled through foul trouble to pace Narraguagus with 12 points.

“Dexter’s an athletic team, and I thought the key to the game was that we didn’t respond to the situation,” said Narraguagus coach Ron Brown. “This is the first time since last year that we didn’t respond to a big game on the road.”

Narraguagus took a quick 4-0 lead, but Dexter scored the next nine points – including a 3-pointer and a jumper by Martin – and never trailed again.

Narraguagus crept within 18-16 midway through the second quarter as Strout worked the low post for a three-point play, but he soon drew his third foul trying to contain the taller Rabideau.

Dexter took advantage, working the ball inside via the pass to Rabideau (11 first-half points) or on drives by Martin and Day, who combined for 13 points in a first half that ended with the Tigers leading 27-18.

“A real telling factor for them was when Strout got in foul trouble,” said Murray. “A lot of that was because Chris was active inside and making plays.”

The Tigers broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Narraguagus 11-4 – including six straight points by Towle – to extend their lead to 38-22.

By the end of the quarter the margin was 45-31, and Towle then fed reserve Mark Pullen for two quick baskets to ignite an 8-0 Dexter run to open the final period.

“When we’re playing well, we have a good balance of inside and out,” Murray said. “We just made them work on defense and tried to wear them down, and you give us a lead like that in the fourth quarter, it’s not very often we give it away.”

TIGERS 59, KNIGHTS 38

Narraguagus (11-8) Dexter (12-7)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Mota 0 1 0 0 0 M. Martin 5 8 12

C. Worcester 0 1 0 0 0 Kenney 1 2 2

Checker 0 0 0 0 0 Towle 4 10 11

Strout 5 7 2 5 12 Day 3 10 10

Bailey 4 15 0 0 8 Murray 0 4 0

Rossi 1 6 4 4 6 Pullen 2 3 4

Albee 0 0 0 0 0 Bowers 0 0 2

Z. Worcester 2 7 0 0 5 Rabideau 8 18

Peltier 3 6 1 1 7 R. Martin 0 0

Leackfeldt 0 0 0 0 0 Rush 0 2 0

Hicks 0 0 0 0 0 McCarthy 0 0

Tilton 0 0 0 0 0 Buryachnko 0 0

Totals 15 43 7 10 38 23 49 10 20 59

Narraguagus 10 18 31 38

Dexter 13 27 45 59

3-pt. goals ? Narraguagus (1-13): Z. Worcester 1-3, C. Worcester 0-1, Rossi 0-1, Peltier 0-2, Bailey 0-6; Dexter (3-8): M. Martin 2-4, Towle 1-1, Rush 0-1, Murray 0-2

Attendance: 70 (est.)


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